The Happy Home Podcast with Arlene Pellicane

Host Arlene Pellicane welcomes back bestselling author Amber Lia alongside her teenage son Ollie for an inspiring conversation about their new devotional, You Are Seen: 90 Devotions to Encourage Stressed Teens. Ollie opens up about his freshman-year battles with depression, anxiety, and perfectionism after a major life transition, offering a real-life view of what your kids may be going through. Together with Amber, they reveal faith-centered strategies—like the 5-4-3-2-1 technique, box breathing, scripture memorization, and surrendering to God's plan—that helped him find peace and purpose. From miraculous physical healing (Ollie's torn rotator cuff) to building family support systems involving dads and siblings, this duo offers hope and actionable advice for parents and teens navigating mental health struggles --all in this episode. 05:09 | Ollie's Story: Freshman-Year Struggles with Anxiety, Depression, and Transition 07:58 | Amber's View: Spotting Anxiety in Teens and Starting Empathetic Conversations 10:42 | The Turning Point: Counseling, Spilling It All, and Building Trust 12:10 | Practical Tool: The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique to Stop the Anxiety Spiral 15:08 | Solo Strategies for School: Box Breathing, Prayer, and Sensory Grounding 19:45 | Real-Life Wins: Texting Mom for Support and Mapping the Day 20:16 | Tackling Perfectionism: Why Teens Compare and How Faith Shifts the Mindset 24:37 | Testimony of Healing: Ollie's Miraculous Rotator Cuff Recovery 27:46 | Dad's Role: Building Bonds, Mentoring, and Asking "What's Going On?" 30:43 | Sibling Support and Navigating Quality Time for All Kids Connect with Ollie on Instagram @walkin.with.ollie. Connect with Amber on Instagram @therealamberlia and on amberlia.com. Pick up a copy of their new devotional, You Are Seen. More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get access to 12 free resources to help you as a parent. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Bestselling author and beloved pastor Max Lucado returns to the Happy Home to talk about his latest book, Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life. Drawing from Scripture and personal stories, Max shares how you can manage negative thought patterns (even if you've carried it around for years). Perfect for parents, you'll learn how to battle anxiety personally and how to help your kids, especially in this world of constant digital noise. On today's episode, you'll learn: 1:00 The importance of thought management 2:20 Tool #1: Practice picky thinking 10:00 The helmet of salvation does this 13:50 UFO: Untruth, False Narrative, Overreaction 17:10 Even Max's dog can apply the UFO 21:00 How Scripture meditation uproots untruths WATCH THE VIDEO on YOUTUBE Max Lucado is a bestselling author with more than 150 million books in print. He's a teaching pastor at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, TX. He and his wife Denalyn have three grown daughters, three sons-in-law, and four grandchildren. Learn more about Max Lucado and his book Tame Your Thoughts More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get access to 12 free resources to help you as a parent. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this. Need help understanding your neurodivergent child? Maybe your child has ADHD, autism, or another challenge. Author Kim Botto is here to give us the gift of understanding this Christmas. She knows how to create spaces where every child feels heard, valued, and loved. She's the author of Boundless Hope for Every Child and specializes in trauma-informed, disability ministry at home and in the church. On today's episode, you'll learn: 2:30 How to understand the needs behind your child’s big behavior 4:20 Helpful correction strategies that actually work 7:20 What steps to take in order to establish a routine 12:00 Why making your kids feel safe is so important 18:50 Don’t be afraid to go back to church, even with a neurodivergent child 23:40 How to encourage your kids by speaking to their potential 27:30 How screen time affects kids with ADHD or autism Kim Botto has worked with children and teens for over three decades through churches, schools, nonprofits, and adoption and foster care initiatives. She has a Masters in Family Ministry and is a frequent speaker on trauma, disability, and neurodivergence. Learn more about Kim Botto, her podcast Every Child Belongs, and her book, Boundless Hope for Every Child on her website https://kimbotto.com/ Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the 25 Days of Christmas activity and devotional guide. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this. We live in a culture obsessed with self-care and personal branding.  But what if freedom and happiness is found more in forgetting ourselves and remembering God instead? Sharon Hodde Miller shares from her new devotional, Gazing at God: A 40 Day Journey to Greater Freedom from Self.  On today's episode, you'll learn:  3:25 What does it mean to gaze at God  10:36 How to help your kids avoid being self-centered  15:57 How to avoid harming your children with your own insecurity  22:10 Why we should practice self-forgetfulness 25:30 The journey of getting out of a scarcity mindset Sharon Hodde MIller PhD is the co-founder and leader of Bright City Church in Durham, North Carolina.  She teaches about faith, culture and the Bible, and her books include Nice, The Cost of Control, and Gazing at God.  Learn more about Sharon Hodde Miller on her website https://sheworships.com/ Follow Sharon on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharonhmiller/ Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week". https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.  https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show!  Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this. In this broken world, building a strong family can seem out of reach. Your family doesn’t have to be perfect to be strong. Bestselling author Jessica Smartt shows us how to build a home where love and connection are every day occurrences. We're talking about her new book, Come on Home.   On today's episode, you'll learn:  5:25 The legacy we should want to leave for our kids  7:40 How a close-knit family can change the world 11:30 The role of “taking-inventory” in your family 19:20 How making memories plays a special role in shaping your family  23:35 How to make all of your children feel like the favorite 26:20 The fruit of delaying giving your children technology Jessica Smartt is the author of Memory Making Mom and Let Them Be Kids, and today we’re talking about her new book, Come on Home. She’s wife to Todd and homeschooling mom of 3. Her family lives on twenty acres with her parents and her two sisters' families. That means there's a never-ending circus of kids, chickens, cats, and horses.  Learn more about Jessica Smartt and her new book, Come on Home https://jessicasmartt.com/come-on-home How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week". https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show!  Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.